"I have done the odd television movie or special but I was immediately taken with this series," says Albert Finney, one of Britain's most important actors, of My Uncle Silas. "I felt that it was such rich material, I just had to do it. As I read, I was almost salivating at the prospect of getting to grips with the character. The story harks back to the days when we were all more in tune with the seasons and nature. Silas is a man of the earth and he knows how to live life to the utmost."

Silas also has a rapacious appetite when it comes to women. "It took a great deal of imagination for me to fulfill this aspect of the role," he wryly notes. "I love the fact that he encounters a new woman every week. I am at the age now where I get cast as the old father or the young grandfather and I don't get the girls any more. I thought that maybe I'd better do this while I've still got a chance."

Albert Finney's performances in Tom Jones, Murder on the Orient Express, Under the Volcano, The Dresser and Erin Brockovitch have all earned him Academy Award nominations. He made his stage debut at Birmingham Repertory Theatre in Julius Caesar and his West End debut opposite Charles Laughton in The Party. A season as understudy for Olivier at the Royal Shakespeare Company soon followed. Other stage credits include Hamlet at the National Theatre, Orphans, A Flea in Her Ear, A Day in the Death of Joe Egg and Luther on Broadway and, most recently, creating the role of Mark in Art. His television credits include Masterpiece Theatre'sA Rather English Marriage and the role of Winston Churchill in the miniseries The Gathering Storm for which he won an Emmy for Best Actor in 2002.

Mrs. BettsSue JohnstonEvery move Silas makes is watched by his stern and stalwart housekeeper Mrs. Betts. Sue Johnston jumped at the chance to play the woman who keeps Albert Finney in check.

"The whole concept for the series struck me as being very different indeed and the prospect of working with Albert Finney was certainly more than a bit of a bonus," says Johnston. "I've been an admirer since I was about sixteen." Mrs. Betts is Johnston's first period drama role for television. "I've never done all this corset stuff before, but I've always wanted to. I've always had a hankering to do Dickens or something along those lines."

There's little explanation given to how Betts, a middle-aged married woman has come to look after Silas. She's unnamed in H.E. Bates's original stories and much about her remains a mystery. "I have a feeling she's been with Silas for a long time because they behave like an old married couple. Silas lost his wife in childbirth and I think Mrs. Betts moved in, looked after him and brought Abel up as well. God knows where Mr. Betts is -- but there is a theory that if a woman got to a certain age in those days and was still unwed they called her 'Mrs.' out of sympathy!"

The banter between Silas and Mrs. Betts is one of the aspects of the series Johnston most enjoyed. "Silas calls her some terrible things, but Mrs. Betts is tough enough for him," she says. "It's like water off a duck's back. She seems like a crotchety old bat on the surface, but underneath she is very warm. I liked throwing the harshest retort to Silas followed by a grin to Edward as if to say, 'This is just a bit of fun, really.'"

After a prolific early career working in theatre, a featured role in Coronation Street led Johnston to a series of roles in British television. Her movie credits include the hit British film Brassed Off and Face. Johnston appeared as Barbara Royle in The Royle Family and most recently starred as Dr. Grace Foley in Waking the Dead.

EdwardJoe ProsperoMy Uncle Silas is Joe Prospero's third major acting role. He made his debut in the movie Intimacy and was featured in Granada's The Glass with John Thaw. He has recently completed filming a television movie based on the life of Hans Christian Andersen.

My Uncle Silas II is a Yorkshire Television co-production with Excelsior and WGBH Boston, presented on PBS by WGBH Boston.

Masterpiece Theatre has been presented on PBS by WGBH for thirty-one years. Rebecca Eaton is executive producer. Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Russell Baker is series host. The series is closed-captioned for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers by The Caption Center at WGBH. A special narration track is added to the series by Descriptive Video Service® (DVS®), a service of WGBH to provide access to people who are blind or visually impaired. The DVS narration is available on the SAP channel of stereo TVs and VCRs.

WGBH is America's preeminent public broadcasting producer. More than one-third of PBS's prime-time lineup and companion Web content as well as many public radio favorites are produced by WGBH. The station is also a pioneer in educational multimedia and in access technologies for people with disabilities. For more information visit WGBH/Boston Online.

The WGBH Educational Foundation is the single largest producer of Web sites on PBS Online. WGBH Interactive creates Web sites, CD-ROMs and other multimedia projects that enhance the Foundation's broadcast and non-broadcast programs.

Masterpiece Theatre has been presented on PBS by WGBH for thirty-one years. Rebecca Eaton is executive producer. Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Russell Baker is series host. The series is closed-captioned for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers by The Caption Center at WGBH. A special narration track is added to the series by Descriptive Video Service® (DVS®), a service of WGBH to provide access to people who are blind or visually impaired. The DVS narration is available on the SAP channel of stereo TVs and VCRs.

WGBH is America's preeminent public broadcasting producer. More than one-third of PBS's prime-time lineup and companion Web content as well as many public radio favorites are produced by WGBH. The station is also a pioneer in educational multimedia and in access technologies for people with disabilities. For more information visit WGBH/Boston Online.

The WGBH Educational Foundation is the single largest producer of Web sites on PBS Online. WGBH Interactive creates Web sites, CD-ROMs and other multimedia projects that enhance the Foundation's broadcast and non-broadcast programs.